Injunction halts ‘fake news’ campaign against UK businessman – The Guardian

Posted July 10th, 2017 in defamation, injunctions, internet, news, precedent by sally

‘Lawyers have tackled an online “fake news” campaign against a British businessman by serving an injunction against “persons unknown” in what is believed to set a legal precedent.’

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The Guardian, 9th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Media litigators unhappy with procedure and costs budgeting – Litigation Futures

‘Lawyers and other users of the new media and communications list are unhappy with how the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) apply to the field, and particularly costs budgeting, according to the outcome of a consultation launched by Mr Justice Warby.’

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Law & Religion UK, 3rd July 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Free speech and e-media – Counsel

‘Google, Facebook, Twitter and other intermediaries increasingly face a broadly united front of protest. Is it time to regulate? asks Richard Spearman QC.’

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Counsel, June 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Range of factors behind fall in number of defamation cases, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 8th, 2017 in data protection, defamation, media, news, statistics by sally

‘A change in the law that makes it more challenging to prove defamation in England and Wales is just one reason why the number of defamation cases brought in the UK fell last year, according to a media law expert.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th June 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Defamation cases slump to nine-year low – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 30th, 2017 in defamation, internet, legislation, news, statistics by sally

‘The number of reported defamation cases in the UK is at the lowest level since 2008/9, partly due to the Defamation Act 2013, according to research published today.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 30th May 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sir Cliff Richard and BBC pause legal fight over report – BBC News

Posted May 8th, 2017 in BBC, defamation, news, sexual offences by sally

‘Sir Cliff Richard and the BBC have agreed to try to reach a settlement over coverage of a police raid on the singer’s home.’

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BBC News, 5th May 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BBC attacks Sir Cliff Richard’s ‘grossly unreasonable’ spending on lawyers in his fight for damages against them – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 5th, 2017 in BBC, costs, damages, defamation, news, proportionality by tracey

‘BBC bosses say Sir Cliff Richard has spent “grossly unreasonable” amounts on lawyers after complaining about reports naming him as a suspected sex offender and taking legal action.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th May 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Anti-racist group Hope Not Hate sues Nigel Farage for libel – The Independent

Posted April 24th, 2017 in charities, damages, defamation, news by tracey

‘Anti-racist group Hope Not Hate is suing Nigel Farage for libel after he alleged that it makes use of “violence” in its campaigning.’

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The Independent, 23rd April 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme Court dismisses media publishers’ appeals against costs awards – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK’s highest court has dismissed the appeals of three media publishers against costs orders made against them by High Court judges in separate libel and privacy cases.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th April 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Melania Trump accepts Daily Mail damages and apology in libel case – The Guardian

Posted April 12th, 2017 in damages, defamation, media, news by sally

‘The Daily Mail and Mail Online will pay damages to settle a libel claim brought against it by the US first lady Melania Trump over false claims about her work as a professional model.’

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The Guardian, 12th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Katie Hopkins and serious harm – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 10th, 2017 in costs, damages, defamation, internet, news by sally

‘Both Katie Hopkins and Jack Monroe are outspoken, including on Twitter. During anti-government protests following the 2015 general election, graffiti was sprayed on to a memorial to the women of the second world war. Hopkins tweeted at 7.20pm on 18 May: ‘@MsJackMonroe scrawled on any memorials recently? Vandalised the memory of those who fought for your freedom. Grandma got any more medals?’ Monroe responded 13 minutes later: ‘I have NEVER “scrawled on a memorial”. Brother in the RAF. Dad was a Para in the Falklands. You’re a piece of shit’. Later that evening she demanded Hopkins delete the tweet, apologise and make a £5,000 donation to charity. By 9.47pm, Hopkins, having realised she had confused Monroe with journalist Laurie Penny, had deleted the first tweet but further tweeted: ‘Can someone explain to me – in 10 words or less – the difference between irritant @PennyRed and social anthrax @MsJackMonroe.’ On 2 June, Hopkins finally tweeted a retraction, but no apology: ‘@MsJackMonroe I was confused about identity. I got it wrong.’’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th April 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Rule 16.3(7) – Statement of under value to be included in the claim form? – 4 KBW

‘Sir David Eady J delivered a judgment on 30 March in the case of Mohamed Ali Harrath v Stand for Peace Limited and Samuel Westrop [2017] EWHC 653 (QB) (available here) in which he held that a claimant is entitled to recover damages that exceed the statement of value included in the claim form.’

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4 KBW, 30th March 2017

Source: www.4kbw.net

Katie Hopkins cannot appeal Jack Monroe libel tweet case – BBC News

Posted March 30th, 2017 in appeals, costs, damages, defamation, media, news by tracey

‘Columnist Katie Hopkins has been told she cannot appeal against a libel action which landed her with a six-figure bill.’

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BBC News, 29th March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jack Monroe wins Twitter libel case against Katie Hopkins – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2017 in costs, damages, defamation, internet, news by sally

‘The writer and food blogger Jack Monroe has won a libel action against the Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins and been awarded £24,000 damages, in a row over tweets suggesting Monroe approved of defacing a war memorial during an anti-austerity demonstration in Whitehall.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sir Cliff Richard’s legal battle with BBC goes to High Court – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 1st, 2017 in defamation, media, news, sexual offences by sally

‘Lawyers representing Sir Cliff Richard are due in court for the latest stage of a dispute between the singer and the BBC.’

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Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jane Collins defamation case: Labour Rotherham MPs awarded £54,000 – BBC News

Posted February 7th, 2017 in costs, damages, defamation, news, parliament, political parties, speeches by sally

‘Three Labour MPs have each won £54,000 High Court defamation damages from UKIP MEP Jane Collins over remarks she made about Rotherham’s child abuse scandal.’

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BBC News, 6th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Defamation and data protection: hand-in-glove – Panopticon

Posted January 30th, 2017 in data protection, defamation, news, privacy, proportionality by sally

‘Suppose you publish a statement about me to which I object. Can I sue you for both defamation and data protection breaches based on the same set of facts? Or should that sort of ‘doubling up’ be prohibited as a disproportionate attempt to achieve the same objective in different ways?’

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Panopticon, 27th January 2017

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Prince wins libel and DPA appeals – 5RB

Posted January 27th, 2017 in abuse of process, appeals, data protection, defamation, news by sally

‘Court of Appeal rules adding DPA inaccuracy claim to libel claim permissible; also finds for Prince on defamatory meaning.’

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5RB, 27th January 2017

Source: www.5rb.com

Making newspapers pay legal costs for libel cases even if they win is ’eminently fair’, says Max Mosley – The Independent

Posted January 4th, 2017 in costs, defamation, media, news by tracey

‘Proposals which could see newspapers forced to pay their opponents’ legal costs even if they win in court are “eminently fair”, according to Max Mosley.’

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The Independent, 3rd January 2017

Source; www.independent.co.uk

Bringing defamation case may have done company more harm than good, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 20th, 2016 in airlines, damages, defamation, news by sally

‘An aircraft charter company has recorded a “pyrrhic victory” in winning £10 in damages for defamatory comments made about the health of its finances by a rival aviation business, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 19th December 2016

Source: www.out-law.com